Halloween and candy have been intertwined for over a century, but the popularity of handing out candy to trick-or-treaters is a relatively recent phenomenon. While some form of sweet treats have long been associated with Halloween, it was really in the mid-20th century that we start to see the massive amounts of candy being handed out and the concept of trick-or-treating for candy becoming mainstream.
Early Origins of Candy at Halloween
The origins of Halloween go back over 2000 years to the Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of summer and beginning of winter. The Celts believed this time of year the boundary between the living and spirit world was thinnest, allowing spirits to cross over. To appease these spirits, people would leave offerings of food and drink outside their homes. This included apples, nuts, and sweets like cakes and tarts. These traditions carried over as celebrations of All Hallow’s Eve grew in the Middle Ages. Sugar was still an expensive luxury at this time, so candy as we know it today was not necessarily involved, but people continued to eat soul cakes and apples for the fall festivities.
As sugar became more available in the 19th century, candy became more common at Halloween. In North America, the earliest known printed references to candy at Halloween come from the 1860s. Newspaper articles and ads from this era mention things like candy toy brooms being given out as treats. Homemade candies and caramels were popular Halloween fare around the turn of the 20th century. Store-bought candy increased alongside trick-or-treating in the 1930s, as the holiday became more commercialized. By the late 1930s, major candy companies like Brach’s were advertising candy for Halloween in magazines. The concept of handing out candy to trick-or-treaters gained traction through the 1940s and 1950s.
Rise of Trick-or-Treating for Candy in the Mid-1900s
Trick-or-treating and going door-to-door for candy on Halloween surged in popularity in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s. Though versions of trick-or-treating existed earlier, the mass adoption of it as a practice was encouraged by various community efforts. UNICEF’s trick-or-treat for UNICEF campaign started in 1950, advocating that children collect money for the charity while trick-or-treating on Halloween. Some towns promoted trick-or-treating as an alternative to troublesome pranks. Costumed trick-or-treating provided a way for community camaraderie. Candy companies also jumped on board promoting it, seeing the marketing opportunities of having children collect candy for free publicity.
| Year | Halloween Candy Facts |
|---|---|
| 1950 | Trick-or-treat for UNICEF campaign begins in US |
| 1952 | National Confectioners Association reported that Halloween candy sales had reached $1 million |
| 1953 | Trick-or-treating banned in some towns to discourage vandalism |
| 1954 | Disneyland offers trick-or-treating for first time |
| 1957 | UNICEF’s trick-or-treat fundraising surpasses $1 million |
| 1962 | Archive references “kids take to streets on trick-or-treat tours” |
| 1968 | First major concerns about Halloween candy being tampered with |
| 1972 | Trick-or-treating called “organized extortion” in newspaper |
In just over a decade from the early 1950s to the mid-1960s, trick-or-treating for candy went from a scattered practice to a widespread tradition across North America. While exact origins are hard to pinpoint, it was clearly explosively popular just in time for the post-World War II baby boom. By the 1960s, the concept of kids going door-to-door for candy on Halloween was ubiquitous. In 1967, the Boy Scouts of America published a brochure outlining the dos and don’ts of trick-or-treating, demonstrating just how commonplace it had become.
Halloween Candy Sales Take Off
With this surge in trick-or-treating, Halloween candy sales saw massive growth in the same era. The National Confectioners Association reported that the total Halloween candy market was at just $1 million in 1952 when trick-or-treating was starting to take hold. A decade later in 1963, Halloween candy sales had jumped to an estimated $12 million annually. With the trick-or-treat concept entrenched in the late 1960s and early 1970s, candy sales continued climbing. They hit $46 million for Halloween 1973. Adjusting for inflation, that’s over $250 million in today’s dollars.
All the major candy companies were quick to tap into this demand and promote their sweets for the Halloween market. In the 1950s and 1960s, brands like Brach’s, Curtiss, and Mars regularly advertised seasonal candies in October issues of magazines like Ladies Home Journal. TV ads also started pushing candy for trick-or-treaters. In the 1970s, Mars launched their enduring “Snickers really satisfies” campaign, portraying trick-or-treating as an exhausting endeavor in need of candy bars.
Evolution of Recommended Halloween Candy
Lists recommending the best candy to hand out for Halloween appeared as early as the 1950s, in sync with the rise of trick-or-treating. Early recommendations reflected the general candy trends of the era. UNICEF originally suggested hard candies, gumdrops, and lollipops for safety and ease of distribution along with subtle messaging that these treats promoted good dental hygiene.
In the 1960s and 1970s, chocolatebars and chewy candies dominated recommended Halloween candy lists. Candy corn and candy pumpkins also received frequent mentions as Halloween classics. Licorice, tootsie rolls, and penny candies were other frequent picks as inexpensive treats. The 1970s saw genius marketing ploys like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups packaged in orange wrappers for the holiday.
Trends shifted in the 1980s and 1990s, with more variety and individually wrapped, bite-sized candies advised for safety concerns. Mini chocolate bars became immensely popular Halloween giveaways during this time. M&Ms, Reese’s Pieces, Hershey’s Kisses, and Smarties were highly recommended in trick-or-treat rankings.
Moving into the 2000s and beyond, popcorn balls, homemade treats, and loose candy garnered more warnings for potential tampering or allergens. Individually wrapped mini candies continued as a dominant recommendation for ease and safety. Candy lists also focused more on appeasing kids with products like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Snickers that scored well in preference testing.
Top 10 Halloween Candies Through the Decades
| 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s-90s | 2000s-Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black licorice | Candy corn | Candy corn | Mini chocolate bars | Reese’s cups |
| Candy corn | Chocolate bars | Gum | Reese’s Pieces | Skittles |
| Jaw breakers | Lollipops | Candy apples | Hershey’s kisses | M&Ms |
| Gumdrops | Tootsie Rolls | Popcorn balls | Nerds | Snickers |
| Hard candy | Mints | Candy pumpkins | Swedish Fish | Starburst |
| Sugar wafers | Bubble gum | Peanut butter cups | Skittles | KitKat |
| Taffy apples | Penny candy | Caramel apples | Smarties | Twix |
| Maple fudge | Jelly beans | M&Ms | Lollipops | Gummy bears |
| Molasses kisses | Snickers | Peanut M&Ms | Mike & Ike | Hershey bars |
| Caramel corn | 3 Musketeers | Peanut butter kisses | Dots | Nerds |
Evolution of Candy Safety Concerns
Parallel to the growth in trick-or-treating, concerns emerged about potential dangers of Halloween candy, including tampering, allergens, and choking hazards.
By the late 1950s and early 1960s, many parents and physicians had apprehensions about unwrapped homemade treats being given out on Halloween. Recommendations increasingly stressed factory-wrapped candies as safer. Urban legends circulated about dangers like razor blades in apples, prompting warnings to inspect all treats. Reports of actual candy tampering remained extremely rare, but fear persisted through the 1970s and 1980s. Metal detectors were sometimes used by hospitals offering to X-ray Halloween candy.
As late as 1985, nearly 60% of parents recommended discarding Halloween candy their kids received due to tampering concerns. To counteract some of these worries, more organized community events like mall trick-or-treating and community parties were promoted as safe alternatives with oversight.
Allergies became another issue, as the ingredients and risks of cross-contamination from bulk candy bins generated apprehension. Non-food items like stickers and glow sticks were sometimes given as alternative treats for food-allergy households. The 1990s and 2000s saw more focus on individually wrapped and peanut-free candies as safer options.
Choking hazards, especially for young children and hard candy, also became a frequently discussed safety issue. Recommendations stressed avoiding candies that were small, round, or easily lodged in the windpipe if swallowed.
| Decade | Halloween Candy Safety Concerns |
|---|---|
| 1950s | Homemade candies warned against, factory-wrapped recommended |
| 1960s-70s | Candy tampering urban legends circulate |
| 1970s-80s | Hospitals X-ray Halloween candy for razors, needles |
| 1980s | Organized events seen as safer trick-or-treat alternative |
| 1990s | Allergy concerns prompt individually wrapped, peanut-free treats |
| 2000s | Choking hazards like hard round candies discouraged |
Although no widespread threats ever materialized, candy safety fears left a lasting impact. Manufacturers responded with individually wrapped mini candies and plenty of peanut-free options. Many families continued opting for organized community events over door-to-door trick-or-treating. Safety concerns had a role shaping modern Halloween candy culture.
Conclusion
While Halloween and candy have long been connected, the scale of trick-or-treating for candy took off in the mid-1900s alongside growing commercialization. Candy companies capitalized with mass marketing campaigns. As trick-or-treating peaked in the 1970s and 1980s, candy selections shifted from chocolate, chewing gum, and Halloween-themed sweets to more variety and bite-sized candies. Fears about unwrapped treats and tampering gave way to allergy worries and choking hazards as foremost concerns. Candy safety led to preferences for recognizable name-brand mini and individually wrapped products still seen today. Though customs continue evolving, candy retains its identity as an iconic treat in Halloween celebrations.